Process and apparatus for treating petroleum oils to produce gasolene



R. YATES. PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING PETROLEUM OILS T0 PRODUCE GASOLENE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14,1920.

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PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATINGPETROLEUM OILS T0 PRODUCE GASOLENE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- ]4, 1920.

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4 I awvemfo c R. YATES. PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING PETROLEUM OILS T0 PRODUCE GASOLENE.

APPLICA'HON FILED AUG. 14, 1520-.

1,895,075 Patented 90R 25, 19210 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

3513i; a O ffmywza ROBERT YATES, 0F PASSAIC, NEW .FERSEIB'EY.

PROCESS AN D APPARATUS FOR TREATING PETROLEUM OILS ZN) PRODUCE GASQLENE.

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Application filed August 14, 1920. Serial No.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that l, Ronnnr YA'rns, a citizen of the United States. residing in the city of Passaic, State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes and Apparatus for Treating Petroleum Oils to Produce Gasolene.

lhe objects in view in the design of this process and apparatus are 2- To obtain large heating capacity in proportion to the quantity of oil in the apparatus.

To obtain large vapor capacity and retain the vapors within the hotzone for a period of time, sufiicient to effect decomposition without carbonizing.

To prevent overheating and charring the oil by keeping it in active circulation over the heating surfaces.

To prevent formation and accumulation of carbon on the heating surfaces by constantly sweeping these surfaces,

To direct the heat around the decomposing chambers, and oil and vapors through the chambers so as to maintain a practically uniform decomposing temperature in all or the greater number of chambers.

To be certain of maintaining any temperature, within the limits required, without deterioration of the parts.

To provide means for separating the gasolene naturally occurring in crude oil, and obviate passing this fraction through the decomposing chambers.

Describing the drawings.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of the heating chambers on the center line of the apparatus with'the decomposing cylinders and heater shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1, showing a sec tional view of one-half, and a top view of the other half of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the heating chambers, showing the decomposing cylinder A. in elevation.

Fig. 4; shows a vertical section of one do composing cylinder, and the vapor drum within the cylinder, also the upper half of a second cylinder in elevation, and the pipe connecting the outer chamber of the first cylinder with the interior drum of the second.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of one decomposing cylinder, showing the sweeps sus- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented (Bot. 25, 31921.

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pended on the vapor drum, and the open spider bottom of the drum.

Fig. 6 shows a sectional plan of one of the preferred forms of sweeps, with the lugs by which such sweeps are suspended on the vapor drums.

Fig. 7 is a View of the face of the sweeps showing the knobs or teeth that brush and clean the interior of the outer cylinder.

Fig-8 shows a second method of grouping the decomposing cylinders when large capacity is required.

Fig. 9 is a diagram lan of the top of Fig. 8, showing one metliod of rotating the vapor drums within the decomposing cylinders by a chain and sprocket wheel drive.

Fig. 10 shows a tubular heater with the float valve controlling the discharge of gasolene distilled off in this heater, also the back pressure or check valve preventing the return of oil and vapors from the decomposing cylinders. Any other form of heater, to which such valves are adaptable, may be used.

Further reference is made to my co-pending case, filed July 6th, 1920, Serial No. 394,200.

Describing the apparatus in detail, similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views 10 refers to a pump feeding oil through pipe 11 into the heater H.

12 is a pipe leading the oil from the heater H to the dome 17, of the first decomposing cylinder A.

120 is a back pressure check valve preventing the return of oil and Vapors from the decomposing cylinders through the heater while gasolene vapors are discharging through the float valve, 28, from the heater.

A, B, C and D are the decomposing cylinders in which-- 13 refers to the decomposing cylinders.

14 refers to the rotating vapor drums within the cylinders,

15 are driving wheels on shafts connected with the necks of the vapor drums i l.

16 are openings in the necks of the vapor drums, through which the vapors and oils pass from the domes 17 down into the drums.

18 refers to the open spider bottom of the drums 14:, showing sweeps 180, attached to the bottom.

19 is a pin on which the drum 1% is pivoted (see Fig. 4t).

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20 refers to sweeps suspended on the drums 14, to sweep the interior surface of the decomposing cylinder 13, and keep the oil in active circulation around the annular space 21.

21 refers to the annular space between the vapor drum l-l and shell of the decomposing cylinder 13.

22 refers to pipes for draining the decomposing chambers.

23 refers to pipes conveying the vapors and oils from the annular space, 21, of one decomposing cylinder into the vapor drum of the next cylinder.

'24 is a pipe conveying the vapors and partially decomposed oils from the decomposing cylinders to separators for further treatment.

28 is a float valve on the heater H, (Figs. 1, 2 and 10)'in which- 29 is a vertical slot or vent.

30 is a cylindrical float controlling the rise and fall of the piston 300, closing and opening the vent 29.

in operation, oil enters the heater through the pipe 11 filling the heater and raising the float 30 until the piston 300 closes the vent 29. The vapors then accumulate in the top of the heater until their pressure forces the oil through pipe 12 into the decomposing cylinders when the float30 again falls. The accumulated vapors now escape through the vent 29, reducing their pressure so that the oil again rises in the heater, while the back pressure valve 120 closes and prevents the return of oil and vapors from the decomposing cylinders; thus these valves work together automatically controlling the separate discharge of oil and vapors from the heater.

Describing the operation of the apparatus.

The original oil is pumped through the heater H and heated by the waste gases of combustion to between 250 and 500 F, then passed through pipe 12 to the'first decomposing cylinder, A, passing through the dome 17 and openings 16 into the neck and drum 1%, within the cylinder. Here the vapors under pressure eirpel'the oil to the level of the bottom ot the drum, so that the drum is always full of vapor having a temperature the same as that of the surrounding oil in the annular space 21. The oil and vapors pass through the open bottom 18 of the drum into this annular space 21, where they are circulated by action of the sweeps 20 on the rotating drum 14:, at a velocity of 150 to 409 feet per minute, the oil, under centrifugal force, taking the out side next to the hot shell of the cylinder 13, and the vapors the inside next to the drum. The oil and vapors then rise up through this annular space, the oil slowly and the vapors more rapidly, and pass out of the top of the cylinder through pipe 23 into the i second decomposing cylinder 1 where the above described action is repeated; and so on through each succeeding cylinder, the oils being reduced in volume and the vapors increased progressively. The resulting vapors and unvaporized oils then pass out of the decomposing cylinders through pipe 24: to the separators.

When operating on crude oil, the gasolene natural to the oils may be drawn off directly from the heater H through the float valve 28, and conducted through pipe 290 to separators or direct to a condenser.

Heat is supplied to the decomposing cylinders from the furnace where coal, oil residues or gas may be used as fuel. The hot gases of combustion pass from the furnace through a checkerwork of brick 27, then up and down around the decomposing chambers A, B, C and D, then up through and around the heater H to the stack, as indicated by the arrows. Ashes and dust are cleaned out through openings indicated at 25. A burner 26 is provided beneath the heater H to further heat the infeeding oil, when desired.

Safety valves, pressure and temperature gages (not shown) are placed where required. v

This apparatus may be operated under any vapor pressure from about 35 pounds upward, according to the strength of construction, preferably at above 35 pounds per square inch in the first decomposing chamber A, then descending from chamber to chamber according to the static head of oil in the several successive chambers.

The dimensions of the decomposing cylinders may range from 3 to 6 feet diameter and 15 to 20 feet high, with interior vapor drums 5 to 10 inches less diameter.

The temperature in the decomposing chambers may range from 650 to 850 F.

Temperatures and pressures and dimensions of parts as herein given, also the number of similar parts with their relative arrangement on the drawings, are not to be considered as specific to this invention, but subject to change according to requirement. Any suitable form of motor and transmission may be used to rotate the drums in the decomposing cylinders. The power required may vary from 2 to at horse power for each cylinder.

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1. ln a process for reducing high boiling petroleum oils to lower boiling oils: decomposing the oil by passing it through vertical cylinders having a rotating drum within each cylinder, in which drums the oil and vapors are introduced under vapor pressure, the vapors filling the drum and expelling the oil from an open bottom into an annular space between the drum and shell of the cylinders, circulating the oil around the annular space and subjecting it to a temperature of 650 to 850 F. in contact with the heatin surface of the cylinder, also subjecting the vapors within the drum to the same temperature as the oil, while protecting these vapors from overheating by the surrounding sheet of oil in the annular space. i

2. In a process for reducing high boiling petroleum oils to lower boiling oils: distilling off the gasolene natural to the oil directly from the preheater, at a temperature between 250 and 500 F., and conducting the vapors away for further treatment, then decomposing the oil boiling above this tem-- perature by passing it through vertical cylinders having a rotating drum within each cylinder, in which drums the oil and vapors are introduced under vapor pressure, the vapors filling the drum and expelling the oil from an openbottom into an annular space between the drum and shell of the cylinders, circulating the oil around the am nular space and subjecting it to a temperature of 650 to 850 F. in contact with the heating surface of the cylinder, also subjecting the vapors within the drum to the same temperature as the oil, whereby these vapors are protected from overheating by the surrounding sheet of oil in the annular space. i

3. An apparatus for reducing high boiling petroleum oils to lower boiling oils: comprising in combination. decomposing cylinders placed vertically in heating chambers and having domes through which the oil and vapors enter the cylinders; vertical drums pivoted to rotate within the cylinders through which drums the oils and "apors pass from the domes of the cylinders and which drums are open at the bottom; annular spaces between the drums and cylinders through which spaces the oil and vapors rise trom=the open bottom of the drums, and sweeps suspended on the drums within the annular space to sweep and clean the interior of the decomposing cylinders.

4. An apparatus for reducing high boiling petroleum oils to lower boiling oils, comprising'in combination: a preheater having an automatically acting float valve in its dome for drawing ofl gasolene vapors, a pipe leading from the heater to decomposing cylinders and a back pressure check valve in this pipe, decomposing cylinders placed vertically in heating chambers and having domes through which the oil and vapors enter the cylinders; vertical drums pivoted to rotate within the cylinders through which ROBERT YATES. 

